Roger Federer Said He Questioned Ted Forstmann About His Bets

Tennis player ROGER FEDERER yesterday said that he "had sought a detailed explanation" from TED FORSTMANN after a lawsuit charged that the IMG Chair & CEO "increased a bet on the 2007 French Open final after consulting with Federer," according to Christopher Clarey of the N.Y. TIMES. Agate Printing has sued Forstmann for "fraud, interference with contract and breach of contract," and Federer said that he "contacted Forstmann for clarification after learning of the lawsuit." Agate Printing Owner Jim Agate contends that he "served as a conduit for hundreds of bets totaling millions of dollars that Forstmann placed on sporting events," including the '07 French Open final between Federer and RAFAEL NADAL. Federer, whose agent, TONY GODSICK, works for IMG, said, "I reached out and told him I want to know everything about it, how this came about. And he’s been, you know, nice enough obviously to tell me from his side and has been very open in the press already. So that’s OK. He’s not my agent. Tony is my guy, but still, it’s a firm that does a lot in sports, so it’s just something that for me is important to know what is going on from their side, too." He added, "That names get thrown around, that you can’t help sometimes. That’s just the way it is. So from that side, for me it was crazy news to hear that, but obviously, it’s not a good thing when IMG or Ted Forstmann is involved in it." Forstmann has admitted to "betting on Federer to win the 2007 final and of gambling on sports in general." But he has "rejected the claims in the lawsuit, questioned Jim Agate’s credibility and denied receiving inside information from Federer" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/10).